In one of the great quirks of MCLA, I actually had the Thoreau reading due for the same week in two different classes: here in Civil Disobedience and for my History of American Radicalism as well. So, I thought I'd briefly explore civil disobedience in an American context.
Throughout my Radicalism class, though not ascribing to American exceptionalism, we looked at some unique factors that contributed to America's maverick streak. European Enlightenment concepts took somewhat of a twist when they were brought to America. Individual liberty was skewed often into wariness of the government. As a result, it has been in the American psyche ever since to resist government. This anti-government sentiment was extolled in conflicts such as Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts and the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania.
So, though not directly related to these violent concepts, and even though Thoreau wants a working government, he is still wary of the results of government. Therefore, when looking at America's radical tradition, the concepts that Thoreau writes about make perfect sense in the scope of American history.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The success of Nonviolence
In class last week we talked about how surprisingly effective nonviolent protest actually is. When the discussion came up, my mind immediately jumped to my research on the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike.
The IRA (an Irish Republican Paramilitary) that was active in Northern Ireland since the 70s had several of it's members imprisoned by the British government. These men were being treated as common criminals rather than political prisoners. And so, to attempt to gain the status as political prisoners, they attempted a hunger strike.
The IRA was always known for it's violent tactics, yet they never seemed effective in promoting Irish Republicanism or their political wing, Sinn Fein. However, after the deaths of 10 IRA hunger strikers, things started to change. Sinn Fein members were elected to several political seats across the U.K. and Northern Ireland and public opinion changed drastically.
In summation, I just find it fascinating how a short few month long hunger strike was infinitely more effective than years of murders, bombings and sporadic violence by the IRA.
The IRA (an Irish Republican Paramilitary) that was active in Northern Ireland since the 70s had several of it's members imprisoned by the British government. These men were being treated as common criminals rather than political prisoners. And so, to attempt to gain the status as political prisoners, they attempted a hunger strike.
The IRA was always known for it's violent tactics, yet they never seemed effective in promoting Irish Republicanism or their political wing, Sinn Fein. However, after the deaths of 10 IRA hunger strikers, things started to change. Sinn Fein members were elected to several political seats across the U.K. and Northern Ireland and public opinion changed drastically.
In summation, I just find it fascinating how a short few month long hunger strike was infinitely more effective than years of murders, bombings and sporadic violence by the IRA.
Monday, September 10, 2012
A Bit of an Introduction
Hello everyone! I suppose before we get into the nitty-gritty of the world of civil disobedience, it might be reasonable to introduce myself!
My name is Stephan and I currently attend Massachusetts College of Liberal arts and I am a double History and Philosophy major. I'm a bit of a nerd (well, I'm really nerdy) and I'm a serious Catholic. Some say that my faith blinds me to other opinions, especially while discussing philosophy. However, I think that especially in this class, I should be able to apply it in a positive way while still being open to the ideas of others.
I suppose by reading my future posts you'll come to know a bit more about me. What I chose to write about, the comments I make and everything else will most likely paint an accurate picture of who I am, what I believe, and the things that I struggle with. I hope you keep reading and I'm looking forward to reading and following your blogs!
Sláinte,
Stephan
My name is Stephan and I currently attend Massachusetts College of Liberal arts and I am a double History and Philosophy major. I'm a bit of a nerd (well, I'm really nerdy) and I'm a serious Catholic. Some say that my faith blinds me to other opinions, especially while discussing philosophy. However, I think that especially in this class, I should be able to apply it in a positive way while still being open to the ideas of others.
I suppose by reading my future posts you'll come to know a bit more about me. What I chose to write about, the comments I make and everything else will most likely paint an accurate picture of who I am, what I believe, and the things that I struggle with. I hope you keep reading and I'm looking forward to reading and following your blogs!
Sláinte,
Stephan
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